Abstract
Corporal punishment results in aggressive behaviours in students. As a result, some students leave school. Researchers believe that the issue of school dropout can be reduced by adopting different motivational techniques. Self-efficacy is one technique that can be promoted to create a caring and supportive learning environment. The issue of dropout is alarming in many Pakistani schools especially at the primary level due to the prevalence of corporal punishment and other factors. This issue prevails mostly in government schools where teachers adopt stringent steps in the teaching process. This study was specifically designed to examine the role of self-efficacy as a moderator between corporal punishment and school dropout. Many studies have explored the relations of corporal punishment with school dropout. It remains to be seen what actually moderates these relations. This study contributes to this gap in the literature by examining self-efficacy as an influencing factor. The study used a validated questionnaire to survey 300 government primary school teachers’ attitude on this issue. Results of the study indicated that corporal punishment significantly correlated with school dropout rate. Secondly, self-efficacy significantly moderates the relations between corporal punishment and school dropout. On the basis of these findings, the study concludes that teachers may reduce the issue of school dropout by creating a supportive and caring teaching and learning environment in school. Finally, the study suggests that the school administration play a key role to overcome the issue of increasing rate of school dropout by adopting rules and procedures to convince and motivate teachers to avoid corporal punishment.
Highlights
Corporal punishment has harmful effecs on students
The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between corporal punishment and school dropout
The study found a significantly positive correlation between corporal punishment and school dropout. It can be inferred from this finding that corporal punishment is a major reason for the growing dropout rate in primary schools in Peshawar division of KPK. This finding supports the findings of previous studies that corporal punishment results in more aggressive behaviors among students which result in them leaving school (Tharps, 2003)
Summary
Corporal punishment has harmful effecs on students. This is evident in students’ behaviour and is exemplified in in the form of decreased self-esteem and self-efficacy, somatic complaints, increased anxiety, negative changes in personality or depression, and school dropout (Greydanus et al, 2003). Corporal punishment is the intentional application of physical pain on an individual which aims to modify his/her undesirable behavior. This includes hitting, slapping, spanking and kicking, shaking or using objects like paddles, belts and sticks (Friedman & Schonberg, 1996). The use of any type of physical infliction on an individual to change behavior (Straus, 1991) will result in them developing negative attitudes towards learning (Ahmad, Said, & Khan, 2013). Recent research highlights the close relationship between students’ achievement and their sense of self-efficacy (Ghorbanshirodi, 2012)
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